Chapter 584: Crossroads of Fate
Chapter 584: Crossroads of Fate
'The bank you're standing on represents life, growth, and the potential of every soul traveling along the path of fate,' said the butterfly.
Adam looked around at the verdant and flourishing landscape and couldn't help but nod his head involuntarily.
"No wonder I felt full of hope and optimism walking here," he said.
This bank of the river instilled in him the rich vastness of life. It was the vitality of life within the flow of fate.
'It symbolizes the beginnings of journeys, growth, and the boundless possibilities that arise from the choices and actions of those touched by destiny,' the butterfly added.
'In a way, this side also symbolizes opportunity-the moment when fate offers new paths, the chance to shape one's future, and the hope that life always carries with it.'
"The chance to shape one's future..." Adam repeated the butterfly's words. He then looked at it and asked, "Is this why you brought me here? Is this the moment fate offers me a new path?"
The butterfly remained silent for a moment. It completely ignored Adam's question and continued where it left off, 'This place is the direct counterpart of the more somber and barren bank on the other side.'
Adam pursed his lips upon not having his questions answered. He turned his gaze toward the other side of the River, but right at that moment, his vision blurred as the butterfly flapped its wing and they teleported over to the other bank.
Before his shock could find the time to settle inside his heart, he felt himself drown in overwhelming negativity.
This bank of the river was a bleak terrain that was filled with black stones. The ground was cracked and the shadows seemed to linger longer here.
He had to take a couple of deep breaths to settle the darkness bubbling inside of him. He was feeling the complete opposite of what he was feeling on the lush and green bank on the other side.
"This place... what is it?" He asked in a grave tone.
'This bank symbolizes the final destination of fate-the inevitable approach of death, a conclusion to one's course of destiny,' said the butterfly.
Adam couldn't help but gulp involuntarily as he looked at the objects lying underneath his feet. "What are the black stones?" He asked, his voice merely a whisper.
'These stones represent endings and inevitability. They symbolize death, loss, and the unchangeable outcomes that every life eventually encounters.
'They embody the weight of unfulfilled fates, forgotten dreams, and choices that lead to irreversible consequences.
'In essence, they serve as a reminder of the void-the moments in one's life where fate appears to stand still, where time seems to stop, and no future can be seen ahead,' the butterfly patiently explained.
The finality of things was always a depressing topic to talk about, especially around someone as young as Adam.
He glanced at the black stones and couldn't help but begin to feel sad. "The void," he said. "A reminder that we're all born to die..."
The butterfly flapped its wings and the pair returned to the other bank, one that was filled with lush vegetation and positivity.
Instantly, Adam felt all the negative emotions inside of him wash away like the tides in the sea. He raised his hand and touched his cheek, only to realize that at some point he had begun to shed tears.
Seeing this, the butterfly spoke up once again, 'They are markers of endings, but also of transitions.'n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Adam gazed at it, waiting for it to continue.
'Such is the mystery of destiny, young magus,' said the butterfly. 'In a sense, the other bank is
a place of potential yet to be realized. It is a realm of new chapters and second chances.'
"I see..." said Adam after a long while.
He recalled the hypnotic pull from the river earlier. Just thinking about it caused a chill to crawl down his spine. If it wasn't for the lotus snapping him out of his daze, he would have surely drowned in the river and died.
He inquired about it from the butterfly, "What was that? I had no control over my actions at all."
"The River of Fate is not merely a passive body of water,' the butterfly answered.
'It is a living, mystical force that governs the destiny of all who come near it. You are quite fortunate to have overcome that danger. If not, you would have become a mere puppet of destiny.'
Adam couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air.
If it wasn't for the white lotus, I might have really...
'Loss of free will is not the only danger in this realm,' the butterfly added.
'Magi who stumble upon this place are overwhelmed by visions. The River of Fate reflects the past, present, and future in its waters. Stare too long into its depths and one may lose themselves.
'There have also been instances where people have lost their free will and become one with the river-something that almost happened to you. If a person is swept away by the powerful current of this river, they are permanently erased from existence, their fates forgotten.' Listening to the butterfly, Adam couldn't help but shudder. He promised himself that he would try his best to curb his curiosity in the future.
Speaking of curiosity, he thought. "Can you now tell me why you called me here?"
The butterfly flapped its wings and took flight once again. It then hovered in front of Adam's face.
'You're at a crossroads, young magus,' said the butterfly. 'This is the moment fate offers you a
new path.'
Adam involuntarily straightened his back. "What path?"
The butterfly spoke in a deep and reproachful tone, 'How long are you going to abuse its
power?'
"What?" Adam's eyebrows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"
'Permanent loss of vision is the least of your worries,' said the butterfly. 'If you continue down your current path, you will die before you even step foot inside the Greater Universe.' Adam's heart sank and his pupils constricted. He had a faint guess about what the butterfly was talking about, but he simply refused to believed it.
His heart beat faster and faster as a foreboding feeling engulfed him. "You... what are you
talking about?"
The butterfly's voice echoed directly inside Adam's mind, sending thunderous shocks to his
core.
'I am talking about the lotus, of course.'